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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Wed May 22, 2013, 11:33am
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catching equipment

We often see players warming up pitchers w/o catching helmets. Often they try to use a batting helmet because the team only has one catching helmet.

What do you think of a rule change to allow a batting helmet with a throat protector?
Do you think it would pass the various organizations?
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 11:45am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CecilOne View Post
We often see players warming up pitchers w/o catching helmets. Often they try to use a batting helmet because the team only has one catching helmet.

What do you think of a rule change to allow a batting helmet with a throat protector?
Do you think it would pass the various organizations?
I think that is ridiculous.


(remember, you asked what I thought)
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 12:03pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CecilOne View Post
We often see players warming up pitchers w/o catching helmets. Often they try to use a batting helmet because the team only has one catching helmet.
Then if they want to warm up a pitcher, they need to either wait until they're on offense (so that the lone catcher's helmet becomes available), or they need to come up with a second helmet.

As for your question, I honestly don't think any nationally-sanctioned organization would consider using a batter's helmet to warm up the pitcher. The NOCSAE certification standard for batting helmets is much different than the standard for catcher's helmets. And even if you attached a dangler to the bottom bar of the mask on a batter's helmet, it wouldn't provide the right protection.
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 12:31pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CecilOne View Post
We often see players warming up pitchers w/o catching helmets.
I'll admit, I've never seen this - not once.
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 12:57pm
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Originally Posted by MD Longhorn View Post
I'll admit, I've never seen this - not once.
I have, unfortunately. And I've had to make the necessary fix to keep it from happening. It always seems to involve either JV teams, or varsity teams from some of the less affluent schools in our community.

Quite often, those teams only have one catcher's mask available for equipment checks. Not sure if the mask is provided by the school, or if it belongs to the player. My guess is that it's the former, since that girl's parents probably can't afford to buy their daughter the necessary equipment.
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 04:31pm
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Originally Posted by Manny A View Post
Then if they want to warm up a pitcher, they need to either wait until they're on offense (so that the lone catcher's helmet becomes available), or they need to come up with a second helmet.
Of course.
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 05:04pm
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Where are you going to hand the throat protector from? It would have to be the face mask, which is about 3 inches farther from chin than a catcher's mask would be. Certainly wouldn't work in NCAA if they don't use a mask in the first place.

Bad idea.
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Old Wed May 22, 2013, 10:50pm
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IF the team only has one catchers mask then why can't the player warming up the pitcher wear it while the catcher is getting her gear on??? I guess I may be missing something here but seems to me like the team has at least 1 catcher's mask so it doesn't matter who uses it when it is needed.
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Old Thu May 23, 2013, 12:46am
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Originally Posted by Robmoz View Post
IF the team only has one catchers mask then why can't the player warming up the pitcher wear it while the catcher is getting her gear on??? I guess I may be missing something here but seems to me like the team has at least 1 catcher's mask so it doesn't matter who uses it when it is needed.
Talking about warming up a 2nd Pitcher during the game.
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Old Thu May 23, 2013, 10:50am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robmoz View Post
IF the team only has one catchers mask then why can't the player warming up the pitcher wear it while the catcher is getting her gear on??? I guess I may be missing something here but seems to me like the team has at least 1 catcher's mask so it doesn't matter who uses it when it is needed.
How would you warm up a pitcher while you are on defense?
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Old Thu May 23, 2013, 11:20am
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I thought it was obvious I was talking about when the catching mask was in use. Please focus on the OP Q.

Also, I didn't consider this problem:
"face mask, which is about 3 inches farther from chin than a catcher's mask would be."
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Old Thu May 23, 2013, 11:50am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MD Longhorn View Post
How would you warm up a pitcher while you are on defense?
With a glove
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Old Thu May 23, 2013, 11:16pm
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Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA View Post
With a glove
In the old days, ... aw, never mind.
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Old Fri May 24, 2013, 10:59am
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Would we be required to "rule" on such a 2nd pitcher warming up issue that is occurring outside the confines of the playing field? If I glance over to DBT and see a catcher w/o a mask on, is that something that I really need to be concerned with?
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Old Fri May 24, 2013, 11:02am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CecilOne View Post
I thought it was obvious I was talking about when the catching mask was in use. Please focus on the OP Q.
obviously not...lol
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